Weekly Warm-Up: Scrapbook Play with Photos

Ready to warm up those creative muscles after the lovely holiday weekend? I know I am. Today I’m going to talk about how you can have fun with your photos. To do this, I’ve collected a few sample layouts from Scrapbook Play with Photos, a Simple Scrapbooks special issue that’s on sale now.  This issue takes a photos-first standpoint, posing 145 different photo challenges. Yes, 145 unique ideas! Here’s a peek at what you’ll find:

Challenge #2: Mat a photo with scraps from your stash.
This whimsical page was created by Katie Haddox. Her “scraps” mat consists of bits of patterned paper, journaling blocks, and a few die-cut pieces. This is a great idea for using up those leftovers, and I love how it makes her pictures standout against the busy background.

Free Download

Speaking of the background on Katie’s page (above), it was designed by Katie. Yup, it’s her own adorable handwriting, and your friends at Simple have turned it into a downloadable font. Get it for free right here!

Challenge #13: Die cut a photo frame.
Start seeing those dies in a different way. For this page, Diane DiTullio used a holiday-ornament shaped die to create a curvaceous frame for her photos. She used the Cricut Joys of the Season cartridge from Provo Craft to create this frame, but any out-of-the-ordinary die will do the trick. 

Challenge #19: Use stickers to create a reverse-print effect.
You don’t have to use up your printer ink to create a reverse-print effect. Instead, follow Diane Herman’s lead and create the same look with letter stickers in two different colors. She put her white letters on her photo and used the black stickers on the cardstock. 

Challenge #30: Adorn a planner with season-appropriate pictures.
Keeping track of your many appointments is definitely more fun with photos of your loved ones lining the pages of your monthly planner. Wendy Smedley created mini scrapbook pages for each month, using season-appropriate family photos.

Get this Planner
Wendy used the MyBook Adaptable Planner from Per Annum to make her personalized date book. It’s set up so that all you have to do is add your own creative touches (little layouts, pictures, etc.) for a one-of-a-kind design.   

Challenge #123: Pair an heirloom photo with a photo of an heirloom.
My grandma’s old aprons are some of my most prized possessions, so I was delighted when the Simple team asked me to take on this challenge. Think about the special items that have been handed down to you over the years and where you might find those items in photos with the original owners. Maybe it’s grandpa’s old pipe or a purse your great aunt used to carry. Whatever it is that holds a spot in your heart, snap a quick picture and create a page about how important it is to you.

Do you have any photo challenges you’d like to pose to your fellow CK blog friends? If so, I’d love to read them in the comments section of this post (link to pictures of your work, if you’ve got ‘em). Who knows, you may find your challenge becomes the topic of a future CK post.

Until we meet again,

Megan

P.S. I just wanted you to know that I’m not aware of any plans for us to relocate, despite what my April 1 post stated. Alas, we are not going to Hawaii. That was just a silly April Fools prank we decided to pull. I apologize if it upset, confused or offended anyone (including those on my team who were packing their bags and buying their sunscreen).